University of Florida to offer StarCraft management class

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The University of Florida is teaching a new course that will make you want to go back to school or if you are in college make a transfer. Technology Review is reporting that a management course will use StarCraft for teaching lessons about time and resource management.

21st Century Skills in StarCraft or EME2040 is not available to everyone though. Pre-requisites to take the course include a requirement that students be enrolled in honors college and have a basic knowledge around playing StarCraft. Interestingly enough, it turns out this will be the first online-only course offered by the University of Florida. Nate Polling, who teaches the class, is quoted as saying:

In StarCraft you’re managing a lot of different units and groups of different capacities. It’s not a stretch to think of that in the business world or in the work of a healthcare administrator.

Besides being able to play StarCraft as part of course work, another attraction to Polling’s class is that there is no final exam, but the class does count toward a student’s GPA.

Quick note- didn’t they mean 26th century skills? StarCraft takes place well into the future…

Speak Your Mind

hodar

So, how does a college make their diploma absolutely worthless?

How about offering classes for college credits on inane topics such as Starcraft?

If I had an interview with a student who took this course, there would be 2 outcomes from that exercise. First, I would drop that candidate from my roster of interviewees, then I would filter all future graduates from that college.

I want a college grad that has mastered the sciences involved in real life – not a sci-fi game. That is, unless I get to pay him in StarFleet credits.

AnDtuigeannTu

@hordar

First of all, you’re an idiot. You didnt even read, let alone understand the post.

Now that that’d out of the way, I’d like to explain to you that the premise of video games (seeing as you obviously dont understand them) is that they’re basically a challenge presented to the player(s) for them to overcome through use of skill and real time puzzle solving (this can be really simple obvious puzzles, or more complex ones that you dont realise are puzzles, like in shooters eg. using the right gun and tactics against an opponent to defeat him). In terms of starcraft its the careful management of resources and unit production times to create a strong army with a durable economy to sustain that army. The best starcraft players have shocking micromanagement and tactical skills that are applicable to real life situations. That fact that you would shun everyone who could possibly have these skills because people used a video game to get them makes you narrowminded and if I had any say in it I wouldn’t let you have any recruitment responsibilities.

I don’t know why you’re even reading a post about video games when you dont understand them.

Raphite

@hodar

You could make an equal case about philosophy, art history, Latin, poetry, etc., but they’re all still fine things to pursue. Obviously it wouldn’t be your major, but resource managements and fast thinking are valuable skills in the real world.

ClumsyPyro

@hordar

lol u mad?

Thoughtspeak

@AnDtuigeannTu

Regardless of how you may feel his views are outdated and frankly ignorant, his view is one that represents a large majority of the business management sector.

At the end of the day, you can learn vaulable life and business skills in practically anything if you do it the right way. However, people will only accept the value of something they themselves would be interested in.

It’s hypocrisy at it’s best the amount of adulation sports and sports leadership are given by employers compared to the snobbery given video games, but such is the nature of the beast.
Video games even now still have the rep of something children, bums and socially inept people partake in on a regular basis. Your just not going to convince a fortune 500 CEO that your 200 plus hours spent playing call of duty has any value, and to be honest, rightly so.

Regardless of the fact the goal of this course is to teach kids skills through a medium they identify with, namely star craft, it is still going to be seen by any boss worth his salt as letting kids get grades in playing video games.

Unless, this course is designed to provide creative industry graduates, Im actually with hodar on this one. It’s extremely Ill advised, considering the backgrounds of these student potential employers. Just because you can use a teaching method, and it may be a very effective one, doesn’t mean you should, just to be seen as “progressive”.

I’m an avid gamer and I can see the value you can gain from video games, such as problem solving, lateral thinking, perseverance, dedication, management etc. However, I’m smart enough to know my gaming life and my educational/professional career have no business being connected unless I’m actually looking to enter that or similar industries.

dayv

Hey, idiots, it’s one class. It’s not a major, it’s just one class. You’re trying to tell me that other classes that UF offers, such as “Man’s Food” is any more useful in the industry? Get over yourselves, not every class you take has to be for your career. Some people actually like taking fun classes occasionally, imagine that?